Graduate Membership Information

 

Please visit our International website, www.aka1908.com for complete information.

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Requirements

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• Completion of a baccalaureate degree, with at least a C+ cumulative average, or a graduate or professional degree (Ph.D., M.D., J.D., etc.) from an accredited college or university.

• C+ is equivalent to a 2.50 on a 4.0 scale if the school does not have a plus or minus on the grading scale.

• Motivation and talents to help promote, implement and extend policies and programs of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®.

• Attendance at an Information Session with the required documents listed in the Letter of Invitation.

 

Process

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Graduate membership is by invitation only and is not solicited through our graduate chapters. Graduate chapters host public events, such as forums, cultural presentations and social activities, so that prospective candidates can become acquainted with chapter members and learn about service activities they offer to local communities. Do not actively seek membership into the Sorority.

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The Graduate Membership Experience (ME) begins with a Letter of Invitation signed by the graduate chapter president AND membership chairman on chapter stationery. There are no membership activities prior to receipt of an official invitation letter, and the Sorority prohibits partaking in ME activities prior to receiving an official letter. If you participate in any activities prior to the issuance of an acceptance letter, your application for membership will be denied.

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Pledging, before, during, or after initiation, is not a part of the membership process, and anyone who knowingly and willingly participates in pledging activities will be denied membership into the Sorority. Additionally, suspension and/or expulsion may result if it is discovered that an individual participated in pledging activities after initiation as a member.

 

Legacy Status

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A legacy candidate is the daughter, granddaughter, adopted daughter, stepdaughter or legal ward* of an active or deceased member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and submits a legacy application. Legacy candidates are not guaranteed membership.

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• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority defines a legal ward as one in which an appropriate court of law legally places permanent care, control, and custody with a member of the Sorority. Court documentation will be requested.

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Legacy Provision

The living family member must have been active for at least four years immediately preceding the submission of an Undergraduate or Graduate Legacy Application. Four years is defined as forty-eight (48) consecutive months. Undergraduates and graduates who apply via legacy provision still must fulfill all other membership requirements.

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• Family member(s) can verify eligibility prior to the candidate submitting a legacy application.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Q: If a member of the Sorority asks me to attend meetings or study sessions, wear specific apparel or perform certain tasks, am I allowed to participate in those activities?
A: No. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® prohibits such activities, and membership will not be extended to individuals who knowingly participate.

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Q: Is it possible for me to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority if I attend an accredited four-year college or university that does not have a chapter?
A: Yes. A nearby graduate chapter in your college community willing to sponsor you can recommend you to the Regional Director for General Membership in the Sorority. Use the Chapter Locator to identify nearby graduate chapters and contacts.

 

Q: What is the process for chartering an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority chapter on my campus?
A: Contact the Regional Director for information concerning the possibility of chartering a chapter on your campus. Utilize the Regions section through About AKA to determine the region where a campus is located and click the region’s name for the Regional Director’s contact information.

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Q: Can I participate in the membership process at another school if my campus has an inactive chapter?
A: No. You cannot participate in a Membership Experience at another school because your campus has an inactive chapter. Candidates must successfully complete at least one grading period, immediately preceding the Membership Experience, at a school affiliated with the chapter.

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Q: Can I become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority if I attend a 2-year community college?
A: No. Candidates must attend an accredited four-year college or university that confers baccalaureate degrees.

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Q: If I have already been awarded a baccalaureate degree, can I still apply for undergraduate membership if I am enrolled in an accredited 4-year college for my second baccalaureate degree and considered an undergraduate by the college or university?
A: No. In this scenario, since you already have received a baccalaureate degree, you are only eligible for graduate membership, which is by invitation only.

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Q: I received an invitation to membership from a local graduate chapter. Am I eligible for graduate membership if I have not graduated?
A: No. You are ineligible for graduate membership until you are awarded a baccalaureate degree.

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Q: Can I seek membership if I am or was a member with another Sorority?
A: If that Sorority belongs to the National Pan-Hellenic Council or National Panhellenic Conference, you are ineligible for membership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. Individuals who falsify applications will have their membership revoked and will be expelled from the Sorority.

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Q: I applied as a legacy candidate but my family member is ineligible. Can I switch to a non-legacy candidate?
A: No. A candidate’s classification cannot change from legacy to non-legacy once a chapter accepts the legacy application and forwards it to the Corporate Office for review. The family member can contact AKA Corporate Office to verify eligibility for legacy provision prior to submitting a legacy application.

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Q: What other steps are necessary if I have not received an invitation to membership although I attended all of the graduate chapter’s public events?
A: Attendance at activities does not guarantee an invitation to membership. Members of the chapter will recommend for membership women who are aligned with the Sorority’s mission, service to all mankind. Please continue to network and provide service to your local community and beyond. We appreciate your interest in the sorority.